【推荐1】In the Chinese history, writing tools play an important role. Among them, the writing brush is the first one that should be paid attention to.

The beginning of the writing brush in China can date back to the Neolithic age (新石器时代), while it is popular during the Warring States period (战国时期). The tool is widely used in Chinese writing and painting.

Nowadays, many primary schools have calligraphy classes (书法课) where teachers teach students how to use the writing brush to enjoy Chinese traditional culture. The soft brush can leave strong lines on paper. But that only comes through years of hard work. If you want to write Chinese characters well and be a famous writing artist, you need to practice writing for a long time.

For many Chinese artists, the brush is more than a writing tool. “When I pick up the writing brush, suddenly my ideas and even stories build a relationship with the brush,” said Liu Qinghe, a famous Chinese artist.

With a good writing brush, when we put our ideas into it, we give it life. When a writer picks up the brush, he or she can feel what hides in the brush.

1. When did the writing brush come into wide use?

A．In the Neolithic age.	B．During the Warring States period.
C．In modern times.	D．During the Spring and Autumn period.

2. What does the underlined part “The tool” refer to?

A．The writing brush.

B．The painting pen.

C．The white paper.

D．The pencil.

3. Primary schools teach students to use the writing brush because they want students ________.

A．to know the importance of writing

B．to know about traditional Chinese culture

C．to know the important role of writing brush

D．to tell the difference between the writing brush and painting pens.

4. The underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 means ________.

A．Liu Qinghe has a deep love for the writing brush

B．the brush is only a writing tool for Liu Qinghe

C．Liu Qinghe’s ideas are different from others’

D．there is a beautiful story about the brush

5. The passage is written mainly to ________.

A．tell us about four inventions in ancient China

B．introduce some famous writing artists to us

C．introduce the history and value (价值) of the writing brush

D．tell us how to write well with the writing brush

【推荐2】请先阅读下面短文，掌握其大意。然后根据短文内容从下面方框内的七个选项中选择五个还原到文中，使短文意思通顺、结构完整，并在答题卡上将其序号涂黑。一空一句。

2023 is the Year of the Rabbit. Children couldn’t believe their eyes as they watched Wang Chunjing make a lifelike rabbit in just a few minutes.

    1     She has been blowing sugar figures (糖人) over ten years. She understands the children’s reactions because she also watched in surprise as her father did the same thing when she was a child.     2     Showing both interest and talent, Wang could make easy shapes with syrup (糖浆) when she was 6. After she finished senior high school in 2008, her family decided to leave their hometown—Qinggang.     3     Her father wanted her to get a good job, but she still had the dream of creating magic like him. Finally, he agreed to take her on as his student. She spent three years learning the folk art (民间艺术) and later opened three stores in Harbin.

“As far as I know, there are fewer than 100 people in China who can blow sugar figures,” she said. “It’s not easy to make innovations (创新) in such a folk art.     4    ”

Every month since 2017, Wang and a group of folk artists visit schools in Harbin to teach students about the art. She said, “    5     For me, making sugar figures is not just a childhood memory; it also brings me great happiness.”

A．But I will keep trying.

B．She tried several jobs in Harbin.

C．They moved to Harbin in search of a better life.

D．He learned the traditional folk art from my grandfather.

E．At that time, she thought her father was like a magician.

F．However, 32-year-old Wang was not surprised at their reactions (反应).

G．We were very happy to find that the students were interested in this folk art.

【推荐3】Why did Chinese people have more than one name in ancient times?

In ancient China, people’s names had three parts, their family name, given name and courtesy name. Take famous poet Li Bai for example. His family name, which came from his father’s name, was Li. His given name was Bai, and his courtesy name was Taibai.

People used their given names when they were among family members. But in social life, they called each other by their courtesy names to show respect. This was mostly done among people of similar age. If you were talking about yourself, or if your elders were talking about you, the given name would be used instead of the courtesy name.

Men would get their courtesy names when they turned 20. It was a symbol of adulthood (成年礼). Women would get their courtesy names after getting married.

One’s courtesy name often had something to do with one’s given name. For example, the name of Mencius was Meng Ke. His courtesy name was Ziyu. Both Ke and Ziyu mean carriage (马车)”. Zhuge Liang’s given name was Liang, which means “bright”. His courtesy name was hongming, which means “very bright”.

1. What does the underlined word “courtesy” in Paragraph 2 mean in Chinese?

A．名

B．姓氏

C．字

D．昵称

2. When could men get their courtesy names?

A．At the age of 20.	B．After getting married.
C．Right after they were born.	D．After they died.

3. Why did people call each other by their courtesy names in social life?

A．To show their love.	B．To show their good relationship.
C．To show their kindness.	D．To show their respect.

【推荐1】It’s a cold, grey Sunday afternoon in March. The British are all working in their gardens. They’re digging, cutting leaves and planting new seeds（种子）. By summer, their gardens will be full of bright colors.

The British love their gardens. A British newspaper recently asked people for their opinions about them. Around 70% of the people felt it was important to spend time in the garden, and over 50% of these described gardening as the most enjoyable thing they ever did.

Only one in ten houses in Britain do not have a garden. People who live in houses without gardens often rent land from the government.

At first, only very rich people had gardens. You can still see the gardens around houses with a long history, such as Chatsworth House or Castle Howard. In the early twentieth century, however, gardening became a hobby. People bought different kinds of seeds and plants for their gardens. Although roses, sunflowers and tomatoes are often grown in British gardens, they originally（起初）grew wild in other countries.

Every year, there are competitions for the largest vegetables, but don’t expect to win: Britain’s biggest carrot is almost six meters long.

1. In summer, British gardens are often________.

A．full of people digging there

B．colorful with different plants

C．too hot for people to work there

D．covered with grey leaves and plants

2. A recent survey showed that ________ of the British felt it important to do some gardening.

A．around 70%

B．over 50%

C．only 20%

D．about 10%

3. What does the underlined word “rent” mean in Chinese?

A．租用

B．赔偿

C．交换

D．支付

4. We can infer from Paragraph 4 that________.

A．seeds were provided for free

B．roses were first grown in Britain

C．gardening is a hobby in the world

D．the owner of Chatsworth House was rich

5. What does the writer mean by the underlined sentence?

A．It is easy to grow big vegetables.

B．It is hard to win the competition.

C．The carrot is much easier to grow.

D．The carrot is his favorite vegetable.

【推荐2】In England, people can go to see a doctor nearby when they are ill. When the doctor sees them, they usually ask about their troubles and soon give them a prescription (处方) for some medicine.

Usually, when people feel ill, they go to see their doctors. But when they only have a cold, they don’t. They usually go to the medicine shop to buy some medicine. Only when they are terribly ill will the doctor go to their houses. In an emergency (紧急), people can call 999 for an ambulance (救护车). The ambulance can take them to the hospital very soon. When they are in hospital, their friends or families can go to see them at a certain time, but they can’t stay long.

Usually people have to pay for the doctors’ prescriptions. And the price is the same for any kind of medicine. But when children, students, old people or people without jobs go to see their doctors, they don’t have to pay for their prescriptions.

1. When people are ill in England, they’ll ________.

A．call 999 for an ambulance	B．go to see the doctor nearby
C．ask the doctor to their houses	D．go to the medicine shop

2. If people have a cold, they usually ________.

A．go to see a doctor	B．ask to be in hospital
C．go to the hospital at any time	D．buy some medicine themselves

3. When people without jobs go to the doctors, they ________.

A．get free prescriptions	B．get free medical care at home
C．get free medicine in the hospital	D．get free medicine in the medicine shop

4. Which of the following is NOT true?

A．In an emergency, people can call 999 for help.

B．The price is the same for any kind of medicine in England.

C．People can’t see friends in the hospital at a certain time.

D．If people lost their jobs, they needn’t pay for their prescriptions.

【推荐3】Everyone has a family name. In English countries (国家), the family name is the last name. Do you know how English people get their family names? And what do they mean? English people usually get their family names in these ways(方式).

Some family names come from the places(地方) of their homes. A man lives on or near a hill, his family name may be Hill. In England, people’s names may be Wood, Lake, because they live near the wood or the lake.

Some family names come from a person’s job. If a person is a cook(厨师), his family name may be Cook.

And many people get their family names from their fathers’ family names. If you hear the name “Jackson”, you can know that he is the son of Jack.        

Do you know more interesting stories about English names?

1. In the passage, English people usually have ________ ways to get their family names.

A．two

B．three

C．four

D．five

2. Jack’s family name is Cook. His family name may come from the ________ place.   

A．place

B．hobby

C．job

D．country

3. A boy’s family name is Jackson because he is ________.

A．Jack’s father	B．Jack’s best friend
C．the grandfather of Jack	D．the son of Jack

4. According to the passage, which sentence is true?

A．English people put their family names first.

B．Many people get their family names from their mother’s family names.

C．A man live on or near a hill, his family name must be Lake.

D．If you hear a name “Bill Bush”, his family may live near the bush.

5. The passage mainly talks about ________ in English countries.   

A．hills and lakes	B．English people
C．family names	D．jobs and homes